2000-Cr Actress Reveals Dark Secrets of South

In a recent interview, Dangal star Fatima Sana Shaikh opened up about her shocking encounter with the casting couch in the South Film Industry.

The film industry in India is tough to navigate, especially for stars without a lineage in the industry.

Many actors attempt to break into Bollywood by first making a name for themselves in South Indian cinema, hoping their success will pave the way for opportunities in Hindi films.

Fatima had a similar plan, preparing to relaunch her career through South Indian films. But she soon came to realise one harsh truth about it.

She shared one particular incident where she was supposed to share her portfolio with the casting couch. In response, she was questioned about whether she would be willing to do “anything” for the role.

This struck her. She played clueless so that the person could make himself clear, but he repeated if she was ready to do “anything” for her role.

Fatima, along with many other women trying to launch their careers, has faced this issue. It is not only limited to the South Industries, it spans across all industries.

Aspiring actors are often pressured into roles they aren’t entirely comfortable with or pushed to engage in PR stunts to generate buzz.

While not all casting directors are such, and many of them do respect the actors and their boundaries, there are a great many cases where the actors are made to do things that are beyond their comfort zone.